


Legal Guardians

by inheritanceofgeek



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Am I making jokes about my own tags now? Yes. Yes I am., Dead Bard, Dead Kíli, F/M, Hot Single Bisexual Guardians in Love, Libraries, Navy Officer!Tauriel, Single Parents, Sorry but I needed the Single Parent bit to come in there SOMEHOW okay????, rhyme time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-12
Updated: 2016-02-12
Packaged: 2018-05-19 19:16:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5978176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inheritanceofgeek/pseuds/inheritanceofgeek
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the death of his brother, Fíli takes on the role of Single Dad to Elleniel whilst her mother works away at sea with the Navy. One day at the local Library's Saturday Rhyme Time he spots a new face; someone who might understand what he's going through.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Legal Guardians

**Author's Note:**

> When I was on my Art Foundation I had a sweet job at a library where I would help out with Saturday Morning Rhyme Time.   
> This is inspired by that, along side the Fígrid February Prompt of "Single Parents"

Being a single parent (well, legal guardian) had never been part of his life plan. But then again witnessing his kid brother's being stabbed to death in a Nightclub wasn't part of the plan either. Kíli had been such a good dad as well, kind and affectionate, patient and resilient, so proud of his daughter and his Navy Officer wife. Tauriel had been the main wage earner, so she had gone back to work whilst Kíli gave up his job in the police force to become a Full Time Dad. However once a policeman, always a policeman and he couldn't help but rush to the aid of those in need. 

 

Elleniel had been with her grandmother at the time, who'd decided Kíli needed break for once. Fíli couldn't help but think if he'd not persuaded him to come out with them, had he stayed at home with Elleniel or if Fíli had been the one to get to the man first, then none of this would have happened. But he couldn't change the past, he could only try and be the best damn Uncle in the world. He owed it to them both. So that's how he found himself sitting cross legged on the carpet of a library singing songs about Pirate Ships whilst Elleniel hit him in the leg with a tiny maraca. 

 

It was their Saturday Outing. They'd go to the library for Rhyme Time, pick out some exciting picture books before going for a run around in the nearby playground then back home for Jam Sandwiches and "Chocky-Bickies" as she called them. He'd gotten to know the other adults quite well. There were a few other single parents amongst them, including Bilbo who was also in the same boat as he was, having taken in his cousin's child after they'd both died. Of course Bilbo was twice Fíli's age, so their experiences were a little different but it was still reassuring to have someone to talk to.

 

However, one day a new face turned up. She could only have been about twenty-two yet she already had a four-year-old. He wasn't judging, of course. Teenage pregnancies happened and at some point those kids would grow up to be walking-talking-humans. She also had another kid with her, fourteen or so who he guessed must have been her brother? Tough break, having to look after her own daughter as well as her sibling, he wondered where her parents were. She spoke to the lad and he wandered off towards the computers with a bored expression on his face 

 

"That seat taken?" She asked pointing to the empty bit of carpet next to him 

 

"By all means, be my guest." He said, shuffling up to give her some more room. "Thanks." She grinned, pulling her daughter into her lap "I'm Sigrid," she smiled "this is Tilda, say hello Tilda."

 

"Hello Tilda." She grinned broadly at her own joke whilst her mother rolled her eyes. 

 

"You're worse than your Da you are." She scoffed, shifting her weight so as to be more comfortable. 

 

"Pleasure to meet you Tilda and Sigrid." He grinned "I'm Fíli and this is Ellie." He waved her hand at them and the girl babbled her welcome. Sigrid's grin spread across her face as she returned the wave. 

 

"They're so cute at that age." She sighed "Then they grow up to be little monster's like this one." She tickled Tilda under the arms until she was almost paralysed with laughter. She might be a young mum, but she sure seemed like a great one. "Though her big brother is more of a problem." She sighed "Have you ever tried to get a fourteen year-old out of bed on a Saturday morning? Nightmare." She rolled her eyes 

 

"Brother?" Said Fíli, frowning, that couldn't be correct. Either she was a lot older than she looked or he'd gotten something entirely wrong here. 

 

"Bain, the bane of my existence Da used to call him." She chuckled and suddenly everything slipped into place for Fíli 

 

"Oh so Tilda's your sister oh my goodness I am so sorry I assumed she was yours! Not that there'd be anything wrong with that at all, but your age difference I just assumed..." 

 

Sigrid laughed at that good natured lay "Well you wouldn't be the first to assume so. But no, I'm the teenage pregnancy your parents warned you about, not Tilly. Mum and Dad had me when they were sixteen. They decided to wait until they were in their twenties for a second go at it. " 

 

Fíli raised an eyebrow at that, whilst trying to do his best to prevent Elleniel from exploring too far towards the middle of the circle. She was just like her dad and he knew in time it would only get worse. Not that he minded, he was slightly looking forward to seeing what mischief she could cause. Kíli would not have approved if his daughter didn't end up in detention at least once a month. 

 

"So you're giving them a break by taking your siblings to the library. That's great of you!" He smiled broadly. But then immediately regretted it at the look on her face. "Oh. I'm sorry."

 

"No, it's okay. Three years since they died. Fire you see. Left Bain with burns all down his side, but me and Tilly were alright. Just the three of us now but we're doing okay." 

 

"I know how you feel" he smiled sadly "Ellie here's not mine either, my brother he, well, he got stabbed and didn't recover so... And her Mum's a medical officer in the Navy, so she works to pay the bills but can't be home with her as much as she'd like to be. So Ellie lives with me, don't you." He smiled, bouncing her up and down on his knee as she joyfully squealed. Tilda eyed her warily 

 

"Why are babies so noisy?" She asked 

 

"Why are toddlers so noisy?" Counted her Sister

 

"I'm not noisy! I'm nowhere near as noisy as she is! I am quiet as a mouse." She said, twisting around to stare moodily at her. 

 

"Yep, just like her parents" she grinned and Tilda stuck her tongue out at her causing Sigrid to respond in like until their funny-face-off resulted in a pile of giggles from the four of them. 

 

"Right then everybody! Time to begin!" Said the Gandalf, bringing over a box of instruments with Faramir's slightly reluctant help. He wasn't that kind of Librarian, but Gandalf always joked that it was good practice for him for when he and Éowyn had kids. Which was a bit far off in the future considering he hadn't actually got up the nerve to ask her out properly. 

 

"We've got some new faces I see, welcome to you both, can everyone say welcome to, ah?"

 

"Sigrid and Tilda." She waved to them. 

 

"Excellent. Well then let us begin by doing our welcome song!" And everyone began to clap along and wave their hands whilst Tilda tried her best to join in with the lyrics she didn't know. 

 

Fíli had a lot more fun this time around with Sigrid here than he normally did. Oh sure, he loved spending time with his niece in this way; but there was something nice about the way Sigrid would share in his smirking looks at all the accidental innuendo ("She'll have to sleep with Grandma when she comes" really was too much for him on some days) and the way she full on belly laugh whenever Ellie got over enthusiastic with her instrument and thwacked Fíli in the face. 

 

"I'm sure her Dad's responsible." He grumbled "I don't know how but it's probably his fault. It'd be just like him to find a way to laugh at me from the afterlife." 

 

Sigrid laughed at that "I feel the same about Ma and Da sometimes. Like I said, she takes after the pair of them." 

 

"You always say that." Said Tilda, a note of pride in her voice "I like it. I like being like them." She bounced up and down on her knee, "Now stop talking we need to sing now. And you have to do the actions okay Siggy?" Frowned the toddler "You don't always do the actions and it's wrong. Gandy said to the actions okay?" 

 

"I never knew one of the world's most famous pacifists was so keen on nursery rhymes?" 

 

Fíli loved how she spoke to Tilda as she would anyone else, not trying to simplify her vocabulary or put on a 'baby voice' like so many did. It was how he planned on raising Ellie. They did get a few amused looks from the parents though, and several annoyed looks from the children so promised to focus back on the matter at hand and continue with their merry song about ducklings being eaten by a great big fox.

 

After they'd all sung their goodbyes and the adults had managed to clamber to their feet without breaking their backs (that was a skill he had to learn early on when Ellie would cry whenever she was put down for longer than two minutes) Fíli and Sigrid stuck around to chat some more. Tilda was 'helping' Ellie to find some interesting picture books but Ellie seemed more concerned with having someone new to play with. He didn't have many friends with kids around her age, and sure Tilda had a couple of years on her but she was still closer than the next youngest Durinson, Stoneheim, who was their own resident grumpy teenager.  

 

"Hey, Sigrid" he began, suddenly feeling brave "do you want to meet up at some point? Away from the library I mean. It'd be nice to spend some time with someone else who, you know. Get's it all. We could go for coffee or something?" 

 

Sigrid raised an eyebrow at him "Are you asking me out on a date?" 

 

"I guess I am." He grinned, trying to turn on the charm as much as he could, even when he was internally bricking it. 

 

"Depends, am I allowed to Tilda with me?" She said, crossing her arms and observing him with a curious gaze.

 

"Of course, so long as I can bring Ellie?" Why would she think otherwise? Sure it was nice to get time away but why would he ask out someone in the same boat as him and not respect that she couldn't abandon her sister? 

 

Sigrid's smile returned and her posture became more relaxed again "Sounds great then! Sorry, I had to ask. The number of people who think you can just abandon your kid because you're not their actual mum or dad? Just pass them off onto a random relative. Or they just freak out over you having a little one." She rolled her eyes and Fíli nodded in understanding. Sure, having an adorable baby did attract him some positive attention, but as soon as they realised a baby meant responsibilities and potty training and having to deal with random tantrums, well. Suddenly they became a lot less interested. 

 

"There's a great little café these friends of the family run, Nori makes the best coffee around and Dori is an expert on Tea. Oh and Ori makes the most amazing scones you'll love them! They don't mind kids either! There's always Ribena behind the counter and"

 

"Woah there!" Laughed Sigrid holding up a hand "I already said yes! Text me the address and I'll let you know if I'm ever free?" She bit her lip and looked slightly apologetic

 

"Part time work and parenthood. I get it." He smiled and Sigrid looked as though she's never heard anything so wonderful. Her smile softened as she thanked him for his understanding. They swapped numbers and went back to watching the girls playing together with matching fond expressions. A friendship between the girls them would be good for them both. 

 

"Sigrid can we go home already?" Said her brother, coming up to her with a nervous look "People are staring again." He whispered, keeping his head down. Even through all the make-up on his face he could still see the red gnarled skin of third degree burns. 

 

"They're not staring Bain." Said Sigrid sadly 

 

"Yes they are." He mumbled "They always are." Sigrid sighed and wrapped an arm around his shoulder

 

"Come on Bain, time to get home so you can do the washing." 

 

"What! What did I do wrong?" He cried angrily, returning back to a true teenager and Fíli had to repress a grin at Sigrid's tactics. Oh she was good. 

 

"Nothing, just think you should help out around the house some more. I thought you wanted to be a grown up?"

 

"Not like that!" 

 

"Whatever little bro. Come on Tilda, say goodbye to Ellie. You got the books you want? Really? The Black Arrow,  _ again _ ?" Tilda glared at her and she sighed. "Right fine then." She took her hand and smiled at Fíli "I'll see you soon then." 

 

"Looking forward to it." He grinned back. As she walked away he heard Bain give a disgusted cry of 

 

"You're going on a  _ date _ ? With  _ him _ ? But he's so short!" 

 

Fíli let out a splutter of laughter, hiding it by turning to pick up Ellie, who was clutching a book in her hands. 

 

"Goat Goat Goat Goat!" She babbled, flapping the book at him. 

 

"Excellent choice Ellie." He said, bouncing her in his arms "Shall we get it out and read it later?" She nodded enthusiastically and hit him in the chest with the book. "Now none of that on our date with Sigrid? Understood?" She blinked at him with big brown eyes just like her dad's. 

 

"No!" She shouted before breaking into fits of giggles

 

"I didn't think so." He sighed. Oh well, he got the idea that Sigrid would only laugh and tease them both, and he needed that in his life right now. It had been a long time since he'd had someone to laugh with, and he was looking forward to it.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Please do not be cruel to Tauriel for choosing to continue working with the Navy, her job is important to her and Kíli was very proud of her for doing it. Especially of the number of lives she saved (including his own!) He would not want her to give up on it because of him. 
> 
> Again - ask yourself if you would give shit to a Male Character for doing this, then continue with your thought processes.


End file.
